The Adventures of Answerman and Flyboy
by nebbyJen
Summary: A variety of single chapter fics involving our favorite team along with their friends. Each fic is complete!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: For awhile now I've wanted to set up a spot for where I could stash single chapter fics. And after seeing what some of my fellow writers have done, I'm finally tossing my hat into the ring and taking the plunge.

**The Adventures of Answerman and Flyboy **

by NebbyJen

Characters: SGA-1

Category: All of them.

Rating: T (mild swearing)

Spoilers/Season: none/2

Disclaimer: Written for fun only.

**The Brat**

No one said a word. Or at least, no one on the team was talking. The only sound came from the continual chattering of the little girl who had apparently taken an instant liking to McKay and had made it a point to follow him. Asking literally non-stop questions ever since the team had left the small village in search of remnants of a ship rumored to be located in the nearby hills; her incessant barrage of words could not bring one response from the usually verbose scientist. And that had Sheppard worried.

Calling the group to a halt, he turned to face the man in question, his eyes appraising Rodney's state of being; trying to interpret what was going through that brilliant mind. Hidden behind dark glasses, arms folded tightly across his chest, and don't forget the jutting jaw resting off to the side of his mouth, it was more than clear that Mount McKay was a simmering volcano about to blow. And the seven year old fuse clung to him like an obstinate thistle burr to the pantleg.

"Ronon, you and McKay scout ahead to the top of this ridge, see if you can spot anything from above." When the pair broke off from the group, the colonel intercepted their tag-a-long by the shoulder and brought her to a halt alongside Teyla and himself. "And you, what do you say you stay here with us? It looks kind of steep further ahead and I don't want to have to go back and explain to your parents why you're covered in Band-Aids."

The dirt smudged face glared back at him in pure defiance. "I go wherever I want, and you can't stop me." With a twist of her shoulder, she was free and headed after the two men climbing towards the crest.

This time it was Teyla who stopped the child. Hunkering down to be at eye level, she balanced her weight on her toes and smiled patiently. "Marla, Colonel Sheppard has graciously allowed you to accompany us, but if you are to continue, you must obey his orders."

"Papa is the Governor and no one tells him what to do." Her tanned hands pressed firmly to her hips, her dark green eyes glittering dangerously in the sunlight, "And I don't take orders, either." With a swift push to Teyla's shoulder, she tipped the Athosian off balance, causing the surprised woman to fall backwards and land on her rear-end.

The look of eternal patience that seemed to ever flow from Teyla disappeared in an instant. Before she had the chance to take the little tyrant over her knee, Sheppard effectively snagged the girl by the back of her bright pink shirt and held her at arms length as if he was holding a poisonous snake by the tail.

"I'm thinking it's time we send you home," he said firmly. Using his free hand to activate his radio, he sent a page to the rest of his team that had disappeared over the crest and were no longer in sight. "Ronon, McKay, this is a bust on our end. See anything up there?"

"_Negative, Colonel,"_ Rodney replied irritably. _"This is just another wild goose chase. My scanner shows very faint readings, but honestly, if there is something here, it's most likely so old that it's just dead."_

"Don't tell me you found where the Energizer bunny finally went to lay down and die?"

There was a pause between transmissions before McKay signaled in return_. "About that, any chance it banged its annoying little drum on its way back home?"_

Sheppard glanced at the spitfire still struggling for freedom in his grasp. "We'll deliver the package and then return to the gate."

Ronon's rumbling voice dryly came from the radio. _"McKay went to look at something else. Wants to know if we can meet you outside of the village." _It was clearly a cover because the swearing scientist could still be heard in the background.

"Tell him if I don't see his ass heading back down this way in less than ten minutes, I'm going to let go of a certain bunny and watch it gnaw his hide the entire way home." With that he tucked his radio back in his vest and glanced over to Teyla who was nodding in approval.

Marla had stopped squirming and now focused on Sheppard, the look of trouble brewing clearly written across her smug little face. "You said a bad word. You said ass."

"I won't tell if you won't." The retort slipped out before he could stop it and he mentally kicked himself. If that wasn't a challenge to the mini spawn of Satan, he didn't know what was.

She smiled and he knew it was the look of a tattle tale if he ever saw one. Crap, he hated this day. With a disgusted huff, he let Marla go, giving her a stern push in Teyla's direction. The unappreciative brow raised back at him let him know he'd just pissed off the only other female in his close proximity. Grateful neither of them could read his mind, he turned his attention back to the top of the trail and thankfully spotted Dex and McKay coming over the ridge.

When they were only a few yards away, Ronon took in the irritated arm-folded stance of Teyla, and then the little girl who mimicked her. Sheppard stood off to the other side of the path, his hands resting on his hips in disgust. "I thought you were supposed to be good with women," he mumbled under his breath as he made his way past.

Rodney must have overheard because he suddenly started coughing into his hand before scrubbing any sign of a smirk off his face with his open palm.

Teyla and Marla followed next, neither saying a word as they passed Sheppard to head back down the trail. And resignedly, wishing he were anywhere but on the cool windy hillside, he brought up the rear.

They had walked in silence only a few minutes before Marla started talking once more. She must have realized her little adventure with the new people was about over and wasn't ready to go home without a fight. Grabbing a hold of Teyla's holster, she tugged to get the gun free. "What does that do?"

Teyla swiftly swatted the small prying hand away. "Do not touch. That is a very dangerous weapon."

"Then why do you have it? Papa says only men should carry weapons."

Tightening her shoulders, Teyla sighed heavily. She didn't miss Ronon's smirk aimed at McKay. Men! "Where I come from, women are also warriors. We are proud to be able to stand up alongside our brothers and defend our people."

Marla considered what she had been told, her eyes narrowing in contemplation. "I had a weapon once. I found it on the ship. But papa took it from me and wouldn't give it back because he said I'm just a girl."

The team that had been traveling mainly in silence all paused and turned to stare at the petite terror in their midst.

Calculating the risks of his actions, Rodney warily stepped back and studied Marla, trying to decide if she was telling them the truth. He was known in two galaxies for his dislike of touchy, snot-nosed, babbling children, and he hesitantly took the plunge he mentally was prepared to kick himself for. "Where did you see the ship?"

Her arms folded smugly, her expression shifted to one of utter contempt. "I'm not telling. I found it, it's mine."

Score! The imaginary kick nailed him perfectly between the eyes. McKay's head dropped to rest on his chest, his left hand reaching under his sunglasses to rub at the persistent headache that had formed earlier, and now throbbed with the banging cadence of a drumline.

"Rodney?" Sheppard inquired from behind.

He abruptly stood up, readjusted his glasses, tightened his shoulder pack, and stiffly headed back down the twisting rock strewn path without saying another word. Ronon followed, keeping pace right beside the scientist. And Teyla and Sheppard soon trailed after, leaving the momentarily bewildered girl to stand alone behind them.

"Wait," she cried out, realizing her plan for attention had backfired. "I'll show you where it is." The team didn't stop. Running ahead, she made her way next to Rodney and grabbed his arm, only to have her grip shook loose. "I'll take you to it," she whined, shiny tears wet on her short lashes.

He stopped to stare down at her, his face unreadable before he started walking once more. The others followed silently, taking their cues from him.

When she ran to stand in front of the scientist again, her chest was heaving as she struggled to stop the tears that usually got her her own way. This time they had little effect. Chewing her bottom lip, she waited until his head tipped down in her direction. She couldn't see his eyes behind the dark glasses but she knew he was looking at her. "Please, I want to show it to you."

Rodney tugged the bottom of his vest straight, taking his time before giving his answer. "Fine," he snapped impatiently. "But if this is some little game of yours, I'll have no problem letting him tan your hide," he said as he pointed across his chest to Ronon standing at his side.

Marla's eyes only got wider as she truly took a good look at the angry hulking giant who was growling back down at her. She gulped and then nodded before taking Rodney's hand and hesitantly tugged him back towards the top of the hill. "It's on the other side, but you can't see it because it's buried under the rocks."

Once again, they all found themselves heading back up the steep scrub covered rise to the top, only to look down upon the opposite side's rock strewn hillside. Sheppard gave the scientist a knowing nudge as they watched the little girl scurry across several boulders, clearly knowing where she was headed.

When she stopped and pointed, beckoning them to follow, Rodney shook his head in disgust. "Who in their right mind would let their kid this far out unsupervised? You never know when a Wraith might pop up and snatch itself a little snack."

"Geeze, McKay, you almost sound like you care about the rugrat," Sheppard teased, not surprised at the dirty look aimed his way. He impishly smiled in return, slapping the scientist on the back. "Let's go see what she's found."

Clambering over the boulders, they had to be alert as several came loose and tumbled to the bottom, creating mini rock slides in their wake. When one broke away under Teyla, she gave a startled cry before Ronon grabbed her arm and helped her back to her feet.

"Careful," he grunted.

She smiled back at him and nodded thanks, dusting her hands off on her pants. "I must agree with Rodney. Why would a child be this far away from home unsupervised? What if she were to fall?"

He shrugged. "I did it all the time."

"Yes, but you are a…." she stopped herself, realizing what she'd almost said. "I too explored on my own. It is just hard to see such actions through the eyes of an adult."

Again, he shrugged and then nodded to the others further below, "Looks like this is the spot."

Marla was down on her hands and knees, worming her way between several large rocks. "It's under here," she called out, as she began to disappear from sight, only to be pulled back by Rodney.

"Are you nuts? There could be spiders or snakes in there." Pointing to an amused Sheppard, he nodded, "You go first."

The colonel stood with his mouth hanging open a moment before shaking his head and laughing. "Ronon, give me a hand," he said, putting his shoulder to a large rock blocking the opening. Between the two of them, they cleared enough to reveal the dirty, dented side of a small ship. The front window was hanging in broken shards, giving them access to the dark interior. With one well placed boot kick, the remains of the splintered window shattered to reveal a dust covered, but very familiar looking console.

"It's a Jumper," McKay breathed in disbelief. No longer worried about creepy critters, he carefully stepped across the control console and dropped to the floor before Sheppard could stop him. His hands patted his pockets absently, before he ripped a Velcro enclosed pocket open and plucked out a small flashlight. Picking his way through the rubble inside he made his way to the back compartment and found the service panels overhead. One good tug and it popped open. Followed by a cascade of dead bug carcasses and dirt that tumbled free to land on him; causing him to jump back and brush himself off before he set about once more investigating the inner workings of the ship. Engrossed in the find, he didn't hear Sheppard come up behind him.

"How long do you think it's been here?" the dark haired colonel asked as he tried to peer over Rodney's shoulder to see what he was doing.

A look of utter annoyance clouded the scientist's face. "You're kidding, right? Let me just look around. Maybe whoever crashed this circled the date on a calendar and left it for whoever might find it, oh, say, ten thousand years later." Trying to balance his light and free himself from his shoulder pack, he was surprised when Marla's hand appeared and took the light from him, pointing it directly at where he had started prying ancient wires free. "Good, keep it there."

She looked pleased that she'd done something right and watched with interest as he removed his keyboard from his pack and began attaching leads to parts overhead. "Can you make it fly again?" she asked quietly.

"Doubtful." He typed several commands and then shook his head. "Nothing," he grunted in annoyance to himself before glancing towards the front, spying Sheppard cleaning off the controls. "The arid climate of the planet has maintained the systems like a tomb. See if there are any crystals left intact underneath the main console."

With flashlight in hand, the dark haired man ducked below and pulled a side section free. Suddenly he gave a startled yelp before scrabbling quickly backwards. "There's a big damn snake under there," he hissed.

Rodney froze. "Snake? What kind of snake? I really don't like snakes. I had a run in with some in a lab once…Not pleasant. Not pleasant at all."

"I'll get it." Ronon pulled his blaster and bent down to take a look before a small body pushed in front of him. The dirty little face with dried tear tracks from earlier now glared angrily at him before she ducked under the control board. Seconds later, she re-emerged with a large brown and yellow snake draped lazily over her shoulder and around her arms.

"Whoa!" Sheppard shouted, taking a quick step back as the snake's tongue flickered inquisitively in his direction.

An absolute look of disgust replaced the anger, before melting into a smile as Marla petted the beast while it wrapped affectionately around her waist. Lifting its head, she held it out for the others to get a closer look, "This is Barr-bee. She won't hurt you."

Sheppard and McKay met each other's surprised glance across the inside of the small ship, both mouthing 'Barbie' to one another and then shuddering in disbelief.

"Colonel?" Teyla looked confused at the men's reactions, and Ronon still stood ready with his blaster to shoot the snake.

Keeping a good distance from the little girl's pet, Sheppard pointed out the broken window. "Any other pets in here you'd like to tell us about?" When she scowled and shook her head 'no', all breathed a sigh of relief. "How about you take Barr-bee outside for some fresh air and sunshine while we work on the ship?"

The evil pout from earlier returned as she stomped to the front, the sound of crunching bug shells crackling beneath her boot covered feet. Ronon easily lifted her and the snake out of the ship. "I'll stay with her," he mumbled, hoisting himself out to follow with ease. Before they could comment, he was gone from the remaining member's view.

* * *

Within an hours time, Rodney had effectively reestablished minimal power to the buried vessel. And between Sheppard's annoying suggestions and his own deductive reasonings, they were able to create a basic secondary HUD display using his keyboard. Teyla had patiently assisted both men but eventually gave in to their continual barbs and sparring, quietly excusing herself to go in search of Ronon and the girl.

"It's a crashed Jumper, McKay. Is there a reason why we're still here?"

"Other than learning that apparently some unfortunate Ancient had the same piloting skills as you? Yes. If I can retrieve the data from the memory system, we might be able to learn a little more about where this ship came from and what its mission was."

"What do you mean, where it came from? It's not from Atlantis?"

"Give the man a gold star," McKay cracked off with a finger pointing up in the air beside his head. "As near as I can tell, the data mentions it's from 'the third city'."

"The third city. Gee, that's real helpful, Rodney. Why don't I just get out a map and look that one up?" Sheppard wasn't positive, but he could have sworn he heard the scientist grumble 'Bite me'.

Okay, this was getting them no where. "Any chance we could power this up enough to temporarily fly it back to Atlantis? Maybe give it a thorough going over once we are back home?"

"You lied about Mensa, didn't you? Because no one with any amount of brains worth a hill of beans would ask as stupid a question as that one!" With four quick steps, Rodney made his way to the front of the craft and waved his arm in exasperation through the air where there should have been a windshield. "What do you suggest we use to get free? The drive pods are buried, and heaven only knows what kind of damage they sustained in the crash, and…and… and…" his attention shifted to watch a large bolt of lightning peel across the darkening sky outside. "Great, just great. It's going to rain and we still have to walk back to the gate."

"Afraid of getting wet? Perhaps you didn't notice with that Mensa mind of your own, but on our way here, there wasn't' that much vegetation. And you said it yourself earlier, arid climate. If anything, it's just a cloudburst, maybe even a heat storm. I wouldn't get my shorts in a bundle, if I were you."

Rodney didn't look convinced. Peering cautiously out the front, he stared at the rolling wind driven clouds.

"_Sh…rd,"_ squawked brokenly over both of their radios the same moment another far off bolt of lightening lit up the now black skyline, followed by rumble of distant thunder.

Sheppard carefully climbed up onto the console and stepped outside to stand on a nearby boulder in hopes of gaining a better reception. "Ronon, Teyla, where are you?"

"_Bottom … hill,"_ Dex hailed back, his voice breaking up do to the oncoming storm's interference messing with the signal.

He strained in an attempt to spot the figures further below. "Find some shelter. McKay and I will ride it out up here. Hopefully this will all blow over before we know it."

"_Col...Marla has run…jump…"_ Teyla crackled over the airways.

Sheppard might not have heard all she said, but it was clear by their insistent waving up the rock strewn hill, that he was to be looking for something, or rather someone. He sent two clicks on the radio and waved his arm over his head to confirm. "McKay," he called over his shoulder while his eyes raked the rocks, "your little girlfriend is headed our way."

Another powerful blaze lit up the sky, this time much closer and the boom of thunder practically overlapped it. That's when he spotted movement mere feet away and spied Marla, sans the snake, scurrying towards him. "Get over here!" he yelled as he reached out and caught her by the arm, tugging her slight frame towards the safety of the ship.

"Sheppard, get your scrawny ass back in here before you find yourself with a real reason for that crappy hair of yours," Rodney shouted from inside. When he found himself face to face with a wide-eyed seven year old hoisted up and dropped hurriedly onto the console before him instead, he grabbed Marla and deposited her quickly onto an empty seat behind him before leaning back out. "Sheppard!"

"Coming!" the colonel yelled back as he clambered up the dented front of the ship. The first cold hard splats of falling rain pegged him squarely on top of the head. "Storm's right on top of us!" he yelled, suddenly finding himself in an deluge of pounding rain that was coming straight down. Not needing to be told twice, he jumped, making a grab for the busted window frame so that he could pull himself inside.

Loose pieces of jagged stone and scrubbrush washed free by the freak storm, plummeted down the hillside from above the jumper, rapidly gaining momentum and volume. Before Sheppard could safely duck within, he was struck by several chunks as Rodney grabbed him by his vest and yanked him over the controls to land on the dirty floor in a sopping heap. Water, mud, and rocks continued to pour in behind him before silence suddenly enveloped the jumper.

"McKay," Sheppard hissed in pain with his eyes clenched tightly shut. A hand pressed lightly against his shoulder, causing him to gasp and suck in a mouthful of mud and bug parts before the pressure quickly disappeared.

"Marla, don't touch him," Rodney ordered, dropping to his knees while stripping off his own vest and folding it to use as a pillow. "Sheppard, where are you hurt?" he asked as he cleared debris from around them off the floor.

"Shoulder. Think maybe it's dislocated," he groaned.

Rodney chewed his lower lip as he worriedly studied Sheppard's mud covered back in the dim lighting. "Anything else? Can you move?" He watched as fingers gradually flexed and then feet jiggled slightly. "Good, good. Don't move anymore."

"Wasn't planning on it," came the muffled reply.

Seeing that his patient was going to cooperate, Rodney gripped the quiet little girl's arm and made her look at him. "I need our packs from the back. Can you get them for me?"

Her eyes shot to the darkened section and then back to him. Mouth ready to protest, she stopped when Col. Sheppard groaned painfully beside her. Seconds later she was on her feet scurrying back to the aft section.

Rodney knew she'd be back any second, so before she could return, he placed one hand on Sheppard's shoulder and another under his head. "On three," he warned quietly. "One, two, three."

"Son of a b…!" Sheppard yelled loudly before stopping himself as McKay rolled him onto his back and then adjusted his wet head with shaking hands back on to the vest once more.

"Sorry," the scientist grunted, using his dry coat to prop the injured arm in place..

"You're never sorry about anything," he bit back between his grinding teeth as his chest heaved in exertion from the pain.

Marla dropped the shoulder packs at Rodney's side, her eye staring back and forth between the two men before she angrily kicked the scientist on the shin. "Why'd you hurt him?" she demanded.

"Ouch! Watch the foot there, Taz." Digging through the folds and pockets, he withdrew another flashlight and handed it to her. "I wasn't hurting him; I was making him more comfortable. Right, Colonel?"

For the first time, Sheppard dared to open his eyes and was surprised to find himself in almost complete darkness except for the flashlight beam aimed in his direction. Blinking several times to adjust, he frowned back at Rodney and then quirked a tired grin to his rescuer. "It's all right; he does it all the time."

She didn't appreciate his attempt at humor and McKay's snort didn't help his own precarious position in her view. "I'll have papa throw you in jail," she said to Rodney as she dropped down to sit protectively on Sheppard's other side.

Snarky comeback on the tip of his tongue, Rodney stopped when Sheppard clenched his eyes shut and gasped his way through another wave of pain. "How bad is it?"

"Scale of one to ten?" Sheppard panted and then cracked an eye to meet the scientist's concerned glance, "Nine."

"Oh that's not good." Pulling the small field kit from his bag, he opened it find the stash of pain relievers. Glancing at the preloaded syringe of Morphine, he met Sheppard's gaze. "Did you get hit in the head at all?"

The dark haired man carefully rolled his head back and forth. "Don't want that."

"How about half , and then I'll put your shoulder back?"

The thought of McKay jamming a needle into any part of his body, no matter what the reason, left him more than a little concerned, but the ripping waves through his shoulder had other ideas. "Half," he whispered.

Rodney nodded silently and began to roll the wet sleeve on Sheppard's good arm up until his bicep was revealed. Biting the protective cap off, he held it in his teeth as he took a deep breath. "Ready?" he mumbled.

Sheppard ran his tongue over his dry lips, before spitting a piece of bug shell. "I think I did more damage…than just dislocate it," he stuttered as pain radiated again down his back and arm. A small hand gripped his own and he rolled his head to the side, finding Marla watching him with worry. Before he could say anything, Rodney plunged the needle into his muscle. "Argh! Damn it six ways to Hell, McKay! Where did you…" he paused to breathe, the cool medication flowing through his veins.

"Same place you did, Beckett's School of Field Medicine 101."

"I don't 'member…" Sheppard yawned, his eyes growing heavy, "anything 'bout stabbin' person with sharp ob…." His eyes slid closed and his breathing evened out in sleep.

Rodney waited a few more minutes before he leaned over and peeled back an unresisting eyelid. Finding the colonel down for the count, he glanced back at Marla. "I'm going to fix his shoulder. He might yell and it's going to make a funny noise, but then he'll be all better after I'm done. Okay?"

Clearly debating whether or not she believed him, she finally nodded and stepped back.

"Okay." Taking a deep breath, Rodney placed one knee on Sheppard's chest while he gripped the injured arm in both hands. One quick firm tug later and the bone slid smoothly back into the socket with only a slight grimace from his patient.

* * *

"So why aren't you the governor of where you come from?" a small girl's voice questioned in the dark.

"Well, if I was busy being Governor like your father, then who would everyone call on to fix things when they broke down?" replied a man quietly.

Sheppard listened through the fog surrounding his muddled brain cells. That had to be McKay, he finally put together. Opening his mouth, he closed it to swallow, and then tried again. "Rodney," he croaked, his throat dry from sleeping with his mouth open while lying flat on his back.

"Colonel, nice of you to rejoin the land of the living. How do you feel?"

A canteen was placed next to his lips and he let the warm water spill into mouth. Once the dry sandpapery feeling was washed away, he licked his lips before attempting to drag his eyes open. "Been better," he finally answered, and then sniffed, "but also been a helluva lot worse." Taking his first real cognizant look around, Sheppard was surprised to find them all in near darkness. "What's going on?"

"Rodney integrated the battery from his keyboard into the control crystals. That way he was able to use the power to bring the shields online and keep the rocks from falling back inside the ship." Marla beamed proudly from her seated position on McKay's lap, pleased that she'd remembered what the scientist had told her.

"Did he now?"

"Yes, and then he showed me how to boost the signal to the radios, and I got to talk to Ronon, and Teyla, and Dr. Beckett, and my papa."

"Sounds like you've been busy."

The holy terror from earlier smiled happily as she tucked a loose strand of hair back underneath Sheppard's cap that she was now wearing.

"McKay, care to fill me in on the details?" he asked as he winked at her and she actually giggled. Perhaps this kid wasn't so bad after all.

Rodney shifted to stretch out his legs from his seated position on the floor at Sheppard's side, settling Marla on the floor next to him. "Like she said. Once I was able to get the signal stronger, I contacted Ronon and Teyla. She went back to call in help while he started to dig us out. Now that another full team is here, we should be out and back home within an hour, two max."

"And the Jumper?"

He sighed and scratched the top of his dirty head, paused to pull a bug carcass from his hair, and then continued, "Elizabeth said once Carson clears me, the Governor has invited me back to see if I can get it running. And if so, we can take it back with us." Before he could go on, the chirp of the radio beckoned to be answered. Thumbing the switch, he glanced to Sheppard, but smugly passed it to Marla. "Ask for Dr. Beckett. Tell him the Colonel is awake."

She eagerly snatched the piece of equipment and chattered non-stop at the physician, barely giving him the chance to ask any questions. When Carson finally gave in, saying the air quality must be good in the ship to keep the wee girl yammering for so long on one bloody breath, she handed it back to Rodney with a satisfied smirk. "Just like you said he would."

The two shared a shrug and a devious smile before focusing their attention back on Sheppard. He in turn really wished they'd hurry up outside.

"So, what else did Rodney tell you while I was sleeping?"

The little girl looked to McKay with eyes of absolute hero worship. "Well," she started, taking a deep breath, "there once was a black energy monster that he forced through the gate. And the time he helped capture Steve the Wraith. Colonel Sheppard, what's a vampire? And then he saved you from the evil woman that glowed. He said that happened to you twice. And then….."

Sheppard forced himself to smile at her as she ticked off one incident after another of events apparently Rodney had done to save the day.

"McKay…"

Rodney refused to be baited. "Face it, you have your space women, and now I have mine."

**The End**

Thanks KBC for letting me bug you one afternoon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Cookies** by nebbyjen

Summary: A little whump moment for poor McKay.

All he wanted was to be left alone so that he could be miserable in private. Every step down the dusty dirt road towards the gate was one step closer to home, and one more movement that made his head pound. 'Eye on the prize,' he mentally chanted to himself while swallowing again the warm saliva that seemed to fill his mouth non-stop. His stomach rolled angrily, his intestines were sending out warning signals with increasing frequency, and he could feel his face grow flushed as he held his breath in an attempt to stop himself from moaning out loud during the tight grip of a cramp. Breakfast had been easy going down, but the threat of its return was going to be hell, he just knew it.

"McKay?"

So focused on each footstep, Rodney missed hearing Sheppard call his name. And it wasn't until a hand gripped his shoulder and forced him to stop moving that he blinked to discover that his teammates had gathered around him, each with a worried expression on their faces.

"What?" he tried to snap, failing miserably and it coming out more like a squeak. His mouth filled again and without thinking he turned and spat in the grass alongside the road.

Sheppard's eyes narrowed as he studied the scientist. "What's going on?"

Quick to recover, Rodney just shrugged and faked a second spit. "Think I swallowed a bug," he lied to cover up what was wrong, his voice sounding raspy even to his own ears. From the look on the surrounding faces, he knew they didn't believe him. Well, that's just tough, he thought, closing his eyes briefly as his stomach churned harder. A cool hand pressed against his forehead, then cheek

"He has a fever," he heard Teyla say before a stronger pair of hands took hold of his right arm.

"McKay…Rodney, look at me."

'Sheppard,' his mind answered, his eyes still closed. As much as he wanted to lie down and die, he knew he needed to keep going. It wasn't that much further. On the right road, just a little further. They'd be home soon.

A smaller set of hands gripped his free arm. "That is right, Rodney, we are almost home."

Surprised, not realizing he'd spoken, he jerked slightly and forced open weighted lids to squint at the concerned brown eyes peering anxiously back at him.

"Want me to go ahead and have a med team on standby?" Ronon rumbled from somewhere close.

"Yeah, I think he's gonna need one," Sheppard replied. Snaking his arm around the scientist's waist, he tugged the arm he'd been holding over his shoulder. "Should have known you were sick, you were being way too damn quiet," he mumbled while urging Rodney to try and walk some more.

Ronon set off at a jog, leaving the others to take care of McKay. From the pale face and lack of incessant chatter on their way back, missing several opportune times to rib the colonel about their latest trip, the runner had picked up almost immediately that the scientist was not well. Having shadowed him close for the past two kilometers, he finally passed McKay and then Teyla to nudge Sheppard, who was on point, into taking action.

"Rodney, I think you should sit down," the leader urged.

"No, can't stop. Just want to go home," he whispered in return, forcing his feet to continue moving.

Sheppard glanced over to Teyla who was still on McKay's other side, raising a questioning brow to see if she knew what was happening. When she shrugged, he sighed and bit his lower lip, wondering what they should do. "When did you start getting sick?" he finally asked.

Rodney's mouth was really watering now, and it definitely wasn't from wanting something to eat. An intense cramp followed and ripped through his gut with more force than he could bear. Sinking to his knees, the hands gripping his arms kept him steady so that he didn't plant his face in the dirt as he gasped through the pain.

"Come on, Rodney, breathe through it. Nice and easy," Sheppard urged, now on his knees beside the scientist.

"_Sheppard." _Ronon's voice broke over the radio. _"Jumper's come through with Beckett."_ No sooner had he spoken than the small ship landed smoothly on the open road before them. The back hatch dropped down and the ever rescuing physician emerged in their direction at a run.

"What happened?" he asked, dropping to his knees before the trio. Taking in Rodney's condition and pallor, he waved for a stretcher.

Sheppard glanced over to Rodney who was still doubled over, breathing in short gasps that seemed to be evening out. "We got up at the village, had breakfast, fixed the gear, and hit the road. Two hour walk to the gate and we should be home."

Continuing his examination, Carson glanced up sharply. "He appeared fine before leaving?"

"Yeah, he was grumbling something about having to get back and lean on Zelenka to fix a drumstick waxing salve something or other."

"Thermo … thermostatic…mixing valve," Rodney moaned between breaths.

"So this started after breakfast once you left the village?" Carson asked while carefully helping Rodney lay sideways on the canvas stretcher. Seeing the slight nod, he leaned closer, his stethoscope tucked in his ears, the bell pressed to the scientist's stomach. The sound of serious trouble rumbled deep in the bowels. "Have you been sick, any vomiting or diarrhea?"

"Nuh."

"Well, it sounds as if you are about to be." Motioning to the team of Marine's that had accompanied him, Beckett nodded, "Let's get him inside and back to Atlantis immediately."

Sheppard and Teyla followed closely behind the group as they settled into the rear of the Jumper with Lorne at the helm. "Doc, can't you give him something?"

Carson shook his head slowly as he took up a spot on the jumper floor beside the bench with the horizontal scientist. "I need to know what started this first. What did he eat for breakfast?"

Sheppard looked to Teyla. "Same thing we all did. An MRE, the locals brought by some muffins and fruit juice. But McKay stayed away from those."

Teyla nodded in agreement and chuckled at a memory. "He drank the milk they offered instead."

"Milk?" Carson asked. "The rest of you didn't drink any?"

"I didn't. Did you?" Sheppard asked, looking to Teyla.

"No and neither did Ronon. I distinctly remember him telling me it was a child's drink."

Before they knew it, the back of the jumper opened and Dex stood outside to meet his team in Atlantis's hangar bay with the gurney-pushing medics behind him. "How is he?" the big guy asked, showing rare concern as they moved Rodney into the bay.

As if to answer, Rodney curled tightly, his hand gripping the handrail making his knuckles turn white. "Cars'n," he moaned, "I…now."

"I know," he said, giving his patient a squeeze to the shoulder. "Just hold on a little longer until I can get you upstairs." Taking a side of the gurney, he urged his team to hurry. "The rest of you stay out of my infirmary for at least a day," he called over his shoulder. "When he's feeling a bit better, I'll call for you." He knew they weren't going to be happy but Rodney was going to need some serious privacy and even the supportive medical staff was going to be an unwanted intrusion.

"Cars'n…"

"We're there," the physician answered, the door of the infirmary closing behind them.

oOo

Rodney lay curled on his side, a thermal heat pack pressed to his stomach, a saline IV finishing its final drips as the clock on the furthest end of the wall showed it to be late in the evening. To say his day had been hell was a massive understatement. Exhausted and feeling limp as a wet noodle, he forced his eyes open when he heard a chair scrape on the floor near his bed. Expecting to find Beckett had returned to try to get him to drink more water, he was surprised to see Sheppard staring back at him with the all too familiar cocky grin.

"Always thought you were full of it, McKay, but I guess not after today, huh?"

Pulling his blanket up over his shoulders, the scientist stared at him in contempt. "Go away and torment someone else."

"Now, that wouldn't make me a good team leader if I didn't drop by to see how you were doing." He stretched back in the uncomfortable chair and yawned, his arms out above his head before settling back in his lap. "You know, you are the only one I know who could get Salmonella from a glass of milk."

"Go. Away."

Sheppard leaned forward, elbows to his knees, totally ignoring the grumpy scientist. Instead he reached out and touched the Spongebob Band-Aid taped to the inside of McKay's elbow. "Dracula got a hold of you, I see. I'm surprised you even let Biro near you."

That got a disgruntled snort.

"She and Carson took turns. One minute there's someone siphoning my arms dry and the next minute another's giving me a shot in the ass."

"Sounds painful."

Rodney's eyes slid shut and he didn't even try to hide a huge yawn. "You have no idea."

"Actually, I was down in the labs earlier and one of the scientists, a Dr. Brika, said food poisoning kind of rivals childbirth."

"I'll make sure to cross that off my list of 'to-do's' then," mumbled the half-asleep scientist.

Sheppard reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a plastic baggie full of cookies. Setting them on the bedside table, he then placed the hand written note beside the empty glass where it would be seen first thing once Rodney woke up.

The sound of soft, restful breathing filled the air as McKay finally dozed back off. Deciding that was his cue, the dark haired man slipped silently from the room, not seeing Carson watch him from the open office door.

With Sheppard gone, the physician quietly made his way across the room and set about unhooking the now empty IV. Certain that his patient was resting comfortably he turned to leave before spying the note and cookies. He laughed.

_Hey McKay….Got Milk?_

The End!


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Ficlet set during the early mission days. (Slight mention of episodes from early Season 1.)

Rated: K

Thanks to Emergency fan for the quick read through, and to Dr. Dredd for catching the big error during an original post elsewhere.

As usual… not mine, never will be.

**Shut Up and Fly**

This was to be their first mission together as a team since the life-sucking bug incident that ended with one member recovering in the infirmary, another left to terrorizing frustrated individuals in the jumper bay. Rodney had supervised impatiently over several of his staff for days on how to put Jumper 1 back together while waiting for Sheppard's release from Dr. Beckett's overprotective clutches. Once the team leader escaped with a clean bill of health, the small group quickly packed up their gear and were ready to give this off world explorations and food hunting reconnaissance another go.

Teyla had practically guaranteed them that she knew of a little system off the beaten Wraith path that they could visit and not run into any danger or unfriendlies. But it was Dr. Weir, the counterproductive voice of reason that tried to hold them back. The impending need for supplies forced her decision, not to mention her desire to escape yet another extensive, bluster-filled rant from her chief scientist. His earlier demand that it was time for people to get off their lazy butts and go find another Zedpm before Atlantis became nothing more than a floating donut ring could be heard by all outside of her closed office door. Sheppard's prodding from behind the scientist didn't help. The visual arm-waving for those on the opposite side of the glass walls must have been highly entertaining. She promptly gave the green light...if just to get the pair out of her hair.

They smugly left; pleased that they had gotten the outcome that'd they wanted, before they separated to retrieve their fellow teammates and gear.

And that, to no one's surprise, somehow lead to yet another bitch and banter fest that seemed to have become a ritual between the two senior staff members. To the chagrin of those on the upper deck of the gateroom, one could now be heard coming from the direction of the hallway, and didn't end as both men came to a stop before the empty gate. The entertainment value having worn off on the regular staff after the first week of Atlantis occupation, several chose to ignore the vocal outbursts while others discovered the sudden need to check on equipment in connecting areas.

Fully decked out in standard issue dark grey fatigues with packs strapped over their shoulders, Rodney entered first while fumbling with his sidearm in an attempt to load the clip into the bottom of the grip. Sheppard was close behind, snatching the weapon before some sort of mishap could take place. Clearly disgusted, he slapped it in place before shoving Rodney's expectant hand out of the way and dropping it into the scientist's empty holster.

"I'm telling you, McKay, you don't have that great of control of the gene, which means you don't get to fly it."

"I disagree. Beckett told me that the artificial ATA gene is the same as yours, just not as strong. With a little more practice, I will be able to fly."

"What makes you even think I'm gonna let you fly a paper airplane? Gene or no gene, you aren't flying unless I say so."

"Just for the record, Major, I know more about the Jumper systems than you can imagine. And being genetically altered has given me access to most Ancient devices so I am more than ready for the opportunity to..."

The brash officer brought the rant to a halt with a sharp poke to the scientist's chest. "That's just it! Like you said, genetically altered. You don't get it, McKay, and until you do," he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "you sit in the back of the bus with all the other good little gee.., scientists that don't have the gene."

"Oh, I don't think Dr. Weir..."

"You always let women fight your battles for you, McKay? You do know that she doesn't have the gene either, right?"

The space between them quickly diminished when Rodney pushed his usual reluctance for physical confrontation aside and stepped into Sheppard's personal space. Practically nose to nose, spit from angry words hit the other in the face. "I've been with the SGC longer than you've been flying your precious toys, Major. I know more about this program and am far more valuable to them than any ATA gene carrying grunt with a gun."

Not one to ever back down from a fight, Sheppard leaned forward and closed whatever little distance remained. "And that's why General O'Neill _and_ Dr. Weir personally asked me to join this little venture...to keep you and all your brilliance _alive_. And until I say so, you will remain under my direction while off world and stay behind me. You will not fly anything that puts you out front where none of us gun-toting grunts can keep you safe, especially after you've pissed off the Pegasus version of Darth Vader and he comes looking to bust your..."

"Typical," Rodney interjected with a sneer while taking a step back and folding his arms over his chest. His anger from just moments before vanished, leaving the bored arrogant mask to slip into place. "I should have known."

"What?" The abrupt argument shift left his teammate temporarily floundering as he found himself watching the scientist turn and walk away. "What should you have known?" Hands in the air, clearly having just missed something, he followed leaving the main floor once again empty.

Silence settled over the gateroom before the upper deck personnel began to stir.

"Are they gone?" Elizabeth asked, hesitantly peering around the corner and catching Peter's amused eyes watching her. His smile and nod was all she needed to see. "Thank goodness, now we might be able to get some work done around here without having to shout over those two. Let me know when the jumper is ready to go."

"Certainly, Doctor." He turned back to his console before glancing up quickly to catch her before she closed her door. "Should I page Lt. Ford and Teyla to let them know Dr. McKay and Major Sheppard are on their way?"

Her eyes traveled down to the empty gateroom floor and then back to his enquiring gaze. The momentary silence brought a small smile to the corners of her eyes. "I don't believe that will be necessary. I'm certain everyone can hear them coming."

The End

A/N: Mindless babble of a little fic. I always like to think the two of them had the best snarkfests in the beginning.


	4. Chapter 4

Post 'Sunday' ficlet. Rodney deals with the events with a little help from his friends.

Rated pg for two small cuss words

Spoiler for Season 3 episode Sunday

Not mine and most likely never will be. Written for entertainment only.

**Road to Recovery**

It started with a simple cough that was ignited by a persistent tickle to the back of the throat. After four days of sleepless nights, waning energy, and a discouraging loss of appetite, Rodney knew that his hidden stash of cough drops and aspirin weren't going to be enough to kick the persistent bug plaguing him. As much as he hated the thought of intrusive poking and prodding from needle sticks and tongue depressors, to eventually confirm his diagnosis of a simple cold, he was going to have to go to the infirmary. The only trouble with that was that he'd successfully avoided any reason to go near that area of Atlantis for, what was it now? Two months, three weeks, and a day.

Somehow or another he'd been able to get the few mission exams needed, pre and post, either at one of the med labs, or Biro came and sought him out personally. The crypt keeper had showed an uncanny willingness to putting up with his latest quirk and had even been helpful at intercepting the new co-ed wannabe doctor from finding him before he could make an escape.

And now that he thought about it, it was more than just Biro. Zelenka the other day actually had the nerve to ask him to supervise on some juvenile errand of the second science team. Which to his chagrin, turned into a complete overhaul with him spending several hours wheezing uncomfortably while lying flat on his back under the gate diagnostic panels. But, later, after a full fledged rant about the inept individuals that had somehow made their way to Atlantis, did he learn that Doogie's little sister had just happened to 'drop by' his lab while he was gone. Radek couldn't seem to remember exactly, but he thought he'd told her that his boss was in the hangar bay upgrading the jumper shields.

Then there was Elizabeth joining him on more than one of his nightly coffee runs. Lorne managed to show up in the labs unannounced with an occasional snack of some sort or another after he'd forgotten to eat dinner. And even Chuck 'the gate guy' personally hand-delivered a message from Jeannie to him instead of waiting on some junior flunky to drop it off during normal deliveries.

It didn't stop there. Tonight, when Teyla showed up at his quarters bearing the small dark teapot she kept in her quarters along with some strong smelling salve, he could only stand to the side when she entered without invitation. The tea she claimed contained wild honey that would ease the annoying tickle that erupted every time he opened his mouth, and the strong smelling goop he was to spread over his throat and chest to ease his sleep. When he snarled "Where's the chicken soup?" she merely smiled sadly, poured some of the steaming liquid into a small mug, and then bid him goodnight.

He'd waited until she was gone before lifting the cup for a precautionary sniff. In fear of some bitter concoction made out of dandelion stems and tree root, the sweet spicy smell was surprisingly inviting and he took a sip. The flavor of cloves and a hint of whiskey touched his tongue before sliding pleasantly down his irritated throat, and by the time he was done, the pot was empty.

The following morning when Sheppard arrived to bang on his door at some ungodly early hour, and then entered without permission, he discovered Rodney in a deep restful sleep, and the room reeking of what could best be described as eucalyptus. Spying Teyla's teapot and the half filled container of goop, he inspected both and was pleased to see the tea gone and the strong smelling salve had been used.

Ronon poked his head in the room and spotted Sheppard looking about. His nose crinkled at the odor before he nodded to the sleeping scientist. "The Athosian stuff worked," he grunted.

The colonel looked up from his search. "Yeah."

"Need any help?"

"No, here it is." Holding up the earpiece he'd been hunting for, he switched it off and placed it on the cluttered desktop before joining the runner in the hallway. The door slid shut behind him leaving the sleeping scientist undisturbed.

They were halfway to the dining hall when Ronon broke the silence. "How long you think he'll keep this up?"

"Knowing Rodney, it'll happen when he's good and ready. Losing Carson has been pretty hard on him." Sheppard paused to look back before he shook his head and once more picked up his pace. "Those two seemed to understand each other when the rest of us didn't have a clue as to what the hell was going on. Did you know they worked together before coming to Atlantis?"

The answering snort from Ronon came as no shocker. "The way they fought, surprised they got along."

"You're not the only one."

"Only one what?" Teyla asked, joining the pair from an adjacent corridor and falling into step alongside them.

"McKay and Beckett," Sheppard supplied with a grin, "working together."

She smiled at her own memories of the two doctor's antics. Glancing to her teammates, she said, "When I visited Rodney last night, he appeared very tired. How was he this morning?"

"Sleeping like a baby. And you'll be happy to know the tea was gone and his room reeked of the stuff you gave him."

"I'm glad I could help. Although, if he were to become more ill…" She left her comment hanging unfinished.

"I'd drag his sorry ass in to see her," Sheppard snapped.

"And if he should continue to resist?"

Ronon's grin would appear threatening to someone who didn't know him as he winked to the team leader, "I'll make sure he stays."

"That's right. We take care of our own."

oOo

The following evening Sheppard went in search of McKay. Coming up empty at all the usual haunts, the nagging itch grew until he reached an open pier overlooking the ocean. There was just enough wind to carry the scent of eucalyptus and it didn't take long to track down the source.

"Hey, how you feeling today?" he asked, coming to a stop alongside the scientist.

Rodney shifted his contemplative gaze from the sunset to the man at his side. "Actually, I'm starting to feel better."

Those few words had a double meaning that Sheppard quickly picked up on. "You think you'll be well enough to make our next mission in a few days?" The irritated huff of an answer was encouraging so he casually stepped upwind and gave McKay a slightly disgusted grimace. "Then you might want to take a shower before we leave to get rid of that smell. Don't want to frighten off any possible new allies."

"Thank you very much, oh wise and meddlesome one. I spend days at death's door and all you can do is mock me."

"Death's door? Give me a break, McKay, you had a stupid cold."

The scientist merely harrumphed and went back to staring out over the water.

"I brought you something," Sheppard teased. When Rodney didn't look, he held out a cup of blue jello with a plastic spoon stuck in the middle. "It was the last one at dinner tonight. Since none of us saw you there..." he grinned triumphantly when he saw the other man glimpse over, "I saved it for you."

A quirk appeared at the corner of Rodney's mouth before he snatched the treat free and enjoyed a mouthful of the cool rubbery concoction. "Carson always saved the red or the blue for me. Do you think _she_ will too?"

"There's only one way to find out. Although I hope you aren't in any rush." The empty cup and spoon was thrust at his chest. "Hey, carry your own trash."

"You brought it, you take it back."

The items were shoved back and forth several times. "I don't think so. You ate it, you carry it."

Rodney sniffed indignantly, then shrugged. "Carson would have carried it for me."

"Oh please, you had the man wrapped around your little finger."

As they started to walk back, Sheppard discovered he was still carrying the cup and spoon, and griped good naturedly, "Just this one time. In honor of Beckett."

A true self-assured smile reappeared for the first time in over the past few months. "Sure, just this one time."

The End

A/N: I know McKay would seek out medical help when necessary, I just thought he might need a little time to transition.


	5. Chapter 5

Yet another fic for the Adventures of Answerman and Flyboy series.

Written for the 'Scars Challenge' on the 'sga ficathon' lj.

Summary: Sheppard's in trouble…again.

Characters: Sheppard/McKay/Carson

Rated: PG for a couple of words

Spoilers: Storm/Siege (season 2)

Thanks to Gaffer for the beta.

**Skin Deep**

"_Major Sheppard, come in please. Major Sheppard?"_

A man's voice continued to call worriedly over the dislodged earpiece. He sounded agitated and mumbled in an unfamiliar language in the background when no one answered. Then there was a brief pause before the calling began again

"_Major Sheppard, come in please."_

The man in question didn't move. Sheppard's position offered little space and he only had the ability to shift his head slightly to the left. His face was pressed into the floor grate by the weight of the broken staircase resting across his back. Unable to think clearly, he could only listen to the continued calls demanding him to answer.

"_John, it's Elizabeth, can you hear me?"_

A woman this time, his fog filled mind informed him. Powerless to stop the groan that slipped past his torn lip and broken front teeth he whispered, "Elizabeth?"

"_Major Sheppard? Major, we can hear you. Can you give us your position?"_ It was the one with the accent again, his words coming much more quickly this time before the woman was back.

"_John, where are you? Are you hurt?"_ He heard her speak to someone else named Carson but he couldn't focus long enough to follow the conversation.

His mind began to drift, the callers voices fading into the roar in his ears before darkness threatened to completely enfold him. He almost let go, almost, until another voice snapping with impatience burst brusquely from the earpiece.

"_Sheppard, next time you decide to go pull a Chariots of Fire in some unknown, unstable, and uncensored section of Atlantis, maybe you'll remember who has to track your skinny ass down before his first cup of coffee, while in the middle of a rather important set of tests that might someday prove useful in saving lives against the wraith. Not to mention being rather busy at putting this shot to hell city back together again."_

"_Rodney..."_ The woman tried to interrupt the angry man.

"_No, Elizabeth, I'm not done. Radek, expand the field over the storm damaged areas, sections eight through twelve."_ A tapping noise clattered briefly before the angry man was back. _"Sheppard, I need a little help here. The relays were fried when the shield was raised and it's not like I've had the opportunity to run all over kingdom come fixing every short circuit with Carson breathing down my neck for the past two days. Give me a grunt if I'm close. Did you go past the pier?"_

The rapid run of words was difficult to follow but the injured man knew he needed to answer. Trying to shift his pinned shoulder in an attempt to ease the stabbing pain below his neck and free his hand to reach the comm. unit, he gasped at the sudden piercing jolt that rippled down to his toes. "Argh!" he cried out, his breaths coming in short gasps until it passed.

"_Major!"_ several voices shouted in unison.

"_I hope you didn't just try to do something really stupid."_ The snarky voice was back, although worry leached across his words, and Sheppard latched onto them like a lifeline. _"Let's try this again without the dramatics, shall we? Past the pier? Yes or no?"_

"Yes," he coughed.

"_Good. See, that wasn't so hard now, was it? Okay, I'll keep this simple because I know all that hair gel clogs your brain synapses. Past the pier, did you take a left or right?"_

Sheppard had to think about this one. He'd been running on adrenalin after a nightmare had awoken him. Kolya had been there, a gun was pointed at a woman. Elizabeth, his mind offered. Did he go left or right? Left or right? "Left," he finally answered with a gasp, although not entirely certain if that was correct.

There was an unmistakable grunt in reply. _"Sheppard, Elizabeth has already sent a rescue team, so I only have a couple of more questions before the cavalry can find you. I know you have this warped sense of enjoyment for running along the maintenance platforms of the upper spires. Did you follow the same path where you hid the weapons during the siege?"_

"Ro'ney?" The name from earlier suddenly made sense and he tried again to lift his head to gain his bearings but remained pinned. Pieces of metal were scattered around him, the floor was cool and felt damp, and darkness was filtering across the edge of his vision.

"_I'm here,"_ the scientist replied, the snark now gone and only worry remained.

"Fell," Sheppard whispered as his eyes closed against his will.

There was a brief silence before Rodney returned. _"Almost there, just hang on a little longer and soon you'll be back in Carson's clutches trying to con me into planning your escape."_

"Fell," he breathed again.

"_Major… did you fall, or did the platform collapse?"_

What little energy the brief adrenalin rush had given him was gone. Now wasted to the point of an overcooked noodle, Sheppard couldn't answer even if he wanted to.

"_Damn it, Sheppard, answer me! Now is not the time for a nap, even if it is only five o'clock in the morning,"_ Rodney snapped.

The force of the words gave him one final push. "Col'pse," he mumbled before losing consciousness. He never heard the worried cries calling for him to stay awake. He never saw the team of Marines clear the debris. He never knew Carson knelt at his side, holding pressure to the wound on his back the entire time until he could be safely transported to the infirmary.

oOo

Sheppard awoke to find he was lying on his chest, propped with a pair of pillows beneath him; one under his torso, another under his head. Weak and groggy, but feeling little pain, he was able to open his left eye, for it wasn't smashed into the soft pillow, and see if anyone might be close enough to bring over a glass of water… Or at least some ice chips.

To his dismay, he discovered the room to be dim, and there was no one seated at his bedside. The steady rhythm of monitors beeped quietly and the warmth from blankets and painkillers lulled him back to the edge of sleep. It was the sound of shuffled soft footsteps that stopped him from letting go entirely. When they slowed and then stopped in front of him, he found himself at the mercy of Carson's meds and could only listen in an attempt at identifying who it was.

The blanket over his back was pulled away and hands touched the area between his shoulders, then traveled down his arm to stop at his wrist. Clearly it had to be Carson. Moments later the blanket was returned and he was given a soft pat to the shoulder.

"How is he?" a recognizable voice asked from somewhere further away.

The hand on his shoulder jerked, but remained put. "Rodney," Carson shushed quietly, "what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"I just finished adjusting the sensor grid and getting it all back online." The scientist yawned deeply as he moved closer.

"You should be in bed, lad; you've had a long day and didn't get much sleep last night."

There was only a grunt and the sound of a chair being pushed across the floor. A waft of infirmary air blew across Sheppard's face and he knew it had to be from McKay sitting down at his side.

"Just thought I'd check to see how he was doing before I turned in." Another deep yawn joined by a sniffle this time could be heard.

"He'll be fine. The damage to his back will leave minimal scarring and an appointment with the dentist will set him up with a pair of caps as soon as he's ready."

This time it was Carson who yawned. The two doctors were making it very hard for Sheppard to stay awake and he shifted slightly to get more comfortable. The warm hand on his shoulder patted him again when he stifled a yawn of his own.

"It's time we all got some rest."

"Yeah." Rodney's voice sounded slightly slurred, sleep close on his heels.

"Rodney, you're not sleeping in that chair. Now get up before you find yourself with a bloody crick in the neck and I spend all day tomorrow listening to you fuss."

The chair squeaked as the scientist stood. His departing footfalls didn't go far before he stopped. "You sure he'll be okay?"

"Aye. I _am_ a physician and _do_ know what I'm doing."

There was a scoff and a chuckle further away. "Don't get me started. You're nothing more than a glorified witch doctor. I'm already scarred for life after listening to him do the nearly dead routine this morning. Hearing you ramble at this hour will surely put me in a coma."

The hand finally moved from Sheppard's shoulder as Carson followed Rodney to the door. He allowed himself to drift with their quiet argument. The accented, "You're not the only one scarred for life," was the final straw. Everything was the way it should be and he let the sandman take over.

The End


End file.
